Population and Settlement Area: An Example from Iran

It can be argued that observed variation in the relationship between settlement area and population, along with uncertainties introduced by the assumption that archeological site area is equal to settlement area, makes efforts to estimate population from site area an impossible task. Such an argument leads to the conclusion that only a relative measure is justified, using site area as a proxy for population, rather than an estimator. However, the requirement for actual population estimates in production, consumption, and land use analysis is more than sufficient justification for a continued effort to develop methods of estimating population from site area.     

Demersal schooling prior to settlement by larvae of the naked goby

Synopsis Field observations and collections indicate that the naked goby, Gobiosoma bosci, undergoes a near-bottom schooling phase prior to settlement. The size of these demersal larvae was intermediate between the sizes of larvae collected in plankton tows and of metamorphosed juveniles collected from the benthos. Two larvae that were captured unharmed quickly settled and metamorphosed. Otoliths of demersal larvae contained 20–41 daily increments. Most larvae were in schools made up of at least 25 individuals although single larvae were also seen. The dispersion pattern of demersal larvae was far more aggregated than that of recently settled juveniles indicating that larvae in schools probably do not settle to the benthos en masse.     

Hind-Casting the Quantity and Composition of Discards by Mixed Demersal Fisheries in the North Sea

Many commercial fisheries seek to maximise the economic value of the catch that they bring ashore and market for human consumption by discarding undersize or low value fish. Information on the quantity, size and species composition of discarded fish is vital for stock assessments and for devising legislation to minimise the practice. However, except for a few major species, data are usually extremely sparse and reliant on observers aboard a small sample of fishing vessels. Expanding these data to estimate total regional discards is highly problematic. Here, we develop a method for utilising additional information from scientific trawl surveys to model the quantities of fish discarded by the commercial fisheries. As a case-study, we apply the model to the North Sea over the period 1978-2011, and show a long-term decline in the overall quantity of fish discarded, but an increase in the proportion of catch which is thrown away. The composition of discarded catch has shifted from predominantly (∼80%) roundfish, to >50% flatfish. Undersized plaice constitute the largest single fraction of discards, unchanged from the beginning of the 20th century. Overall, around 60% of discarded fish are rejected on the basis of size rather than for reasons of species value or quota restrictions. The analysis shows that much more information can be gained on discarding by utilising additional sources of data rather than relying solely on information gathered by observers. In addition, it is clear that reducing fishing intensity and rebuilding stocks is likely to be more effective at reducing discards in the long term, than any technical legislation to outlaw the practice in the short term.     

Boredom, Time, and Modernity: An Example from Aboriginal Australia

In this article, I explore an anthropologically underresearched topic, boredom, utilizing ethnographic data from the Australian Aboriginal settlement of Yuendumu and situating that research in a comparative perspective. I examine the concept's genesis and meaning at Yuendumu using the social-constructivist approach to boredom as proposed in literature studies, sociology, and philosophy. That approach provides an account of how the emergence of boredom in 18th-century Europe is linked to processes of modernity. That perspective, however, has led to claims that boredom is a Western phenomenon and that its existence elsewhere is because of "Westernization." In this article, I argue against that perspective by linking instances of boredom at Yuendumu to perceptions of personhood and to conceptualizations of being in time—particularly socioculturally specific ways of perceiving time and postcolonial temporalities as generating the emergence of boredom. This boredom is a historically and socioculturally specific phenomenon, arising out of distinct sociocultural engagements with locally particular processes of modernity.     

Biotransformations of Paralytic Shellfish Toxins by Bacteria Isolated from Bivalve Molluscs

Due to the possibility that bacteria could be involved in the clearance of paralytic shellfish toxins (PST) from bivalve molluscs, investigations into which, if any, bacteria were able to grow at the expense of PST focused on several common shellfish species. These species were blue mussels, oysters, razor fish, cockles, and queen and king scallops. Bacteria associated with these shellfish were isolated on marine agar 2216 and characterized by their carbon utilization profiles (BIOLOG). Selected isolates from groups demonstrating 90% similarity were screened for their ability to metabolize a range of PST (gonyautoxins 1 and 4 [GTX 1/4], GTX 2/3, GTX 5, saxitoxin, and neosaxitoxin) using a novel screening method and confirming its results by high-performance liquid chromatography. Results suggest that molluscan bacteria have different capacities to utilize and transform PST analogues. For example, isolates M12 and R65 were able to reductively transform GTX 1/4 with concomitant production of GTX 2/3, while isolate Q5 apparently degraded GTX 1/4 without the appearance of other GTXs. Other observed possible mechanisms of PST transformations include decarbamoylation by isolate M12 and sulfation of GTXs by isolates Q5, R65, M12, and C3. These findings raise questions as to the possible role of bacteria resident in the shellfish food transport system. Some researchers have suggested that the microflora play a role in supplying nutritional requirements of the host. This study demonstrates that bacteria may also be involved in PST transformation and elimination in molluscan species.     

Recovery of Escherichia coli and Coliforms from Macerated Shellfish

A comparison of manual and mechanical maceration techniques for the bacteriological examination of molluscan shellfish suggests that mechanical maceration leads to an improved recovery of Escherichia coli . Extensive use of such a technique in the routine examination of shellfish has introduced a standard considerably more rigorous than that proposed originally.     

An Outwardly Rectifying and Deactivating Chloride Channel Expressed by Interstitial Cells of Cajal from the Murine Small Intestine

Recent studies have suggested a role for a chloride current in the modulation of pacemaker potentials generated by interstitial cells of Cajal. Patch-clamp recordings were made from inside–out patches of cultured interstitial cells of Cajal from the murine small intestine. The majority of patches were quiescent immediately after excision, but in some patches currents activated spontaneously after a period of 10 min to 1 h. Currents could also be activated by strongly polarizing the patch. It was found that the currents activated in both cases included a chloride channel. This channel could also be activated by ATP and the catalytic subunit of protein kinase A. The channel had conductance states (±SD) of 53 ± 25.35, 126 ± 21.44, 180 ± 12.57 and 211 ± 8.86 pS. It was outwardly rectifying (as a function of open probability) and deactivated (i.e., gave a tail current) but showed no inactivation. The permeability sequence of the channel was I⁻>>Br⁻≥Cl⁻>Asp⁻. It was unaffected in magnitude or rectification by changing the free Ca²⁺ concentration of the bath between <10 nm, 100 nm (control) and 2 mm.     

Solastalgia and the Gendered Nature of Climate Change: An Example from Erub Island, Torres Strait

This communication focuses on respected older womens’ (‘Aunties’) experiences of climate and other environmental change observed on Australia’s Erub Island in the Torres Strait. By documenting these experiences, we explore the gendered nature of climate change, and provide new perspectives on how these environmental impacts are experienced, enacted and responded to. The way these adverse changes affect people and places is bound up with numerous constructions of difference, including gender. The responses of the Aunties interviewed to climate change impacts revealed Solastalgia; feelings of sadness, worry, fear and distress, along with a declining sense of self, belonging and familiarity.     

Evaluating Intervention Fidelity: An Example from a High-Intensity Interval Training Study

Aim

Intervention fidelity refers to the degree to which an experimental manipulation has been implemented as intended, but simple, robust methods for quantifying fidelity have not been well documented. Therefore, we aim to illustrate a rigorous quantitative evaluation of intervention fidelity, using data collected during a high-intensity interval training intervention.

Design

Single-group measurement study.

Methods

Seventeen adolescents (mean age ± standard deviation [SD] 14.0 ± 0.3 years) attended a 10-week high-intensity interval training intervention, comprising two exercise sessions per week. Sessions consisted of 4-7 45-s maximal effort repetitions, interspersed with 90-s rest. We collected heart rate data at 5-s intervals and recorded the peak heart rate for each repetition. The high-intensity exercise criterion was ≥90% of individual maximal heart rate. For each participant, we calculated the proportion of total exercise repetitions exceeding this threshold. A linear mixed model was applied to properly separate the variability in peak heart rate between- and within-subjects. Results are presented both as intention to treat (including missed sessions) and per protocol (only participants with 100% attendance; n=8).

Results

For intention to treat, the median (interquartile range) proportion of repetitions meeting the high-intensity criterion was 58% (42% to 68%). The mean peak heart rate was 85% of maximal, with a between-subject SD of 7.8 (95% confidence interval 5.4 to 11.3) percentage points and a within-subject SD of 15.1 (14.6 to 15.6) percentage points. For the per protocol analysis, the median proportion of high-intensity repetitions was 68% (47% to 86%). The mean peak heart rate was 91% of maximal, with between- and within-subject SDs of 3.1 (-1.3 to 4.6) and 3.4 (3.2 to 3.6) percentage points, respectively.

Conclusions

Synthesising information on exercise session attendance and compliance (exercise intensity) quantifies the intervention dose and informs evaluations of treatment fidelity.     

Taxonomic size structure consistency of the English Channel phytoplankton

Here we report the worldwide first results on long-term variability of marine phytoplankton taxonomic size structure based on traditional taxonomic size spectra (TTSS). The Plymouth Marine Laboratory monitoring database for station L4 was used to build annual TTSS patterns (1992-2005) and estimate their similarity with the help of hierarchical cluster analysis. Almost identical TTSS patterns were observed each year. While the height of the main peaks was slightly variable, their horizontal positions were unchanged. Whereas the above patterns resembled the phytoplankton TTSS established for the subtropical Lake Kinneret, the L4 spectrum size range was much broader and the distance between the main peaks approximately two times greater. The similarity level (Pearson r = 0.872-0.992) in TTSS pairs for station L4 was comparable to the estimates established at several lakes, while being much higher than in the inter-ecosystem (L4 and Kinneret) pairs (r = 0.317-0.578). Thus, the phenomenon of long-term consistency of phytoplankton taxonomic size structure, found previously at freshwater ecosystems, for the first time is confirmed for marine phytoplankton, which speaks in favor of much higher generality of this important structural property of aquatic communities. The TTSS multi-annual consistency can be helpful for long-term monitoring, environment protection and forecasting. The evident and permanent difference in the peak positions between ecosystems opens a way for additional analyses which can be helpful for the development of theoretical models. A set of plausible mechanisms, capable to produce and support the empirically obtained distribution patterns, is discussed.     

Changing Community States in the Gulf of Maine: Synergism Between Invaders, Overfishing and Climate Change

Human activities, including overfishing and species introductions, have had a dramatic impact on benthic communities in the Gulf of Maine within the past two decades. Prior to the 1970s, the climax community in the shallow subtidal was composed of Laminaria spp. kelp beds with an understory of arborescent red algae. In the 1980s, a population explosion of the green sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis, created an alternate community state, urchin barrens. Recently, a new community has been observed in former urchin barrens and kelp beds. This assemblage is principally composed of the introduced species: Codium fragile subsp. tomentosoides (green alga), Membranipora membranacea (bryozoan), Diplosoma listerianum (tunicate), Bonnemaisonia hamifera (red alga) and the opportunistic species Mytilus edulis (mussel) and Desmarestia aculeata (brown alga). In addition to changes in relative abundance, many of these species have greatly expanded their distribution and habitat selection. A model detailing mechanisms for the transition of the traditional kelp bed and urchin barren communities to others is presented and implications for this new community are discussed. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Competition for Binding Between Veratridine and KIFMK: An Open Channel Blocking Peptide of the RIIA Sodium Channel

Veratridine, an alkaloid isolated from the rhizome of V. album, binds and slows the inactivation of the brain sodium channels. The synthetic pentapeptide KIFMK causes a voltage- and use-dependent open-channel block of the RIIA (rat brain type IIA) sodium channel (Eaholtz, Scheuer & Catterall, 1994). Our studies on the RIIA sodium channel expressed in CHO cells reveal that the fraction of veratridine modified sodium channels decreases linearly with increasing KIFMK concentration. However, the time constant for dissociation of veratridine from the channel remains unchanged in the presence of a high concentration of KIFMK, as opposed to that in the presence of QX314 where the dissociation appears to be more complex. These data are consistent with mutually exclusive binding of the open channel blocking peptide and veratridine to the brain sodium channel. Received: 19 November 1996/Revised: 31 July 1997     

Vertical migrations of fish larvae: Eulerian and Lagrangian observations in the Eastern English Channel

The Eastern English Channel is known for its strong hydrodynamics.Tidal and residual currents are reinforced by the south-westerndominant wind and drift waters from the English Channel to theNorth Sea. Previous spatial studies have shown that the advectionof larvae could differ from one species to another. Flounder(Pleuronectes flesus) larvae were found offshore, drifting tothe north until the fins were formed; then they were found nearthe coast. However, sole (Solea solea) larvae remained in coastalwaters during their development. The difference in larval spatialdistribution is assumed to be related to the interaction betweenvertical migration and advection by alternative tidal currents,leading to a selective tidal stream transport. To describe thevertical distribution of these larvae, two strategies were used.First, a Eulerian study was carried out with samples taken atthe same geographical location every 1.5 h for 41 h. Ichthyoplanktonwere collected in the water mass using a Bongo net and witha suprabenthic multi-net sledge, at four layers above the seabed, between 0.1 and 1.4 m. Secondly, to enable water movementto be disregarded, a Lagrangian study was carried out by usinga Bongo net every 3 h, following a drifting buoy for 3 days.The results show that even during the youngest stages, solelarvae are able to perform tidal and diel vertical migration.We assume that they may limit their advection to the North Seabecause of their upward migration during ebb and at night, whichmay enable them to remain in the same area dealing with thecurrents. Flounder larvae begin their vertical migration atthe stage of notochord flexion, which ends their drift to thenorth. The larvae reach the bottom of the water column, particularlyduring ebb when they are concentrated in the first 40 cm abovethe bottom. This behaviour favours their advection during flow,leading to efficient and fast transport towards the coast.